Excavating-scraper.



I. E. BURKETT. EXCAVATING SCRAPER,

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9. I9I5- Patentd 001;. 9,1911.

6 0 L1 M Q u n IRA E. BURKE'IT, OF MACON, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TOSOHOFIELD-BURKETT CONSTRUC- TION COMPANY, OF MACON, GEORGIA, ACORPORATION OF GEORGIA.

E XCAVATING-SCRAPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented Oct. :9, an.

Application filed December 9, 1915. Serial No. 65,918.

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA E. BURKETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating-Scrapers; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is a novel improvement in excavator scrapers, and theobject of the invention is to provide a scraper with novel attachmentswhereby the draft on the scraper can be utilized to cause the scraper toautomatically load itself as it is drawn forward, and to automaticallyadjust itself out of the ground when loaded so that it can be readilyhauled from one point to another after the excavating operations.

The invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with thescraper shown in my Patent No. 1,095,155, dated April 28, 1914, but isalso useful with other power operated scrapers.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawngs; which show one practical embodiment of the invention.

In said drawings: I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the scraper in loading position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof in hauling position; and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the scraper.

The scraper 1 may be of any desired form, being shown as of the scooptype, and formed of metal. The rear part'of the bottom of the scraper isupwardly inclined as at 1, and the front edge of the scraper is providedwith teeth 1*. To the sides of the scraper near their forward ends aresecured draft eyes 1 to which is attached a draft chain 2, that isconnected to a ring 3, that may be attached to a hauling cable 3, or toany other draft appliance, by which the scraper can be drawn forward.

To the sides of the scraper is pivotally attached a yoke 4 having ashank 4 to which is pivotally connected the forward end of a mmpositespring member, hereinafter explained, the rear end of which member ispivotally connected to a rod 1 mounted in eyes 1 on the back of thescraper. The shank 4 of the yoke 4 is connected by a chain 4 with thedraft ring 3. A pipe 1 is attached to the rear of the scraper to supportsame at the dump. Thus far the parts, with the exception of thecomposite spring member, are substantially similar to those illustratedand described in my aforesaid patent. Y

The spring member preferably has a plurality of helical springs 5connected at front to opposed plates 5", and at rear to opposed plates 5The front ends of the coil springs may be secured between the plates 5*,as indicated at 5, and the rear ends of the springs secured between theplates 5 as indicated at 5 The plates 5 are also connected to a link butwhen, the scraper becomes filled with dirt the rear end thereof will bedepressed,

by the weight of the load and extend the springs 5 elongating the springmember, as indicated in Fig. 2, and the front end of the scraper will bedrawn upwardly out of the ground, as indicated in Fig. 2, so that theloaded scraper can be readily dragged along over the surface of theground without digging into the earth.

To insure the proper bite of the teeth in the ground, and to vary thebite according to the nature of the soil being operated on, the springmember may be adjustably connected to the yoke in any suitable manner. Aconvenient means, illustrated in the drawings, is to form the link'6vwith a series of apertures 6*, any one of which may beengaged withthe bolt 6 attached to the shank 1 7 When the invention is applied to apower operated scraper, (such as shown in my patent aforesaid) thescntper may be drawn back by means of a dra t cable 3 connected bychains 3 to draft eyes 1 on the scraper, as indicated in the drawings.

In operating this scraper, it may be drawn backward by pulley cable 3 tothe v the load extends the spring member so as to depress the rear 'endof the'scraper and the pull of the chain will cause the front end torise out of the ground and the scraper will then ride freely over thesurface of the ground.

The reat practical advantages and utility of the mvention will bereadily appreciated by those familiar with the use of such scrapers asby reason of the automatic self adjustment of the scraper it can beoperated without manual handling at. the loading point; and can besuccessfully used under water.

What I claim is: I

'1. In combination with a scraper, a draft device attached with thefront thereof, a spring member connected with the rearthereof, and aconnection between said spring member and the draft device, whereby thescraper will automatically adjust itself to loading position when empty,substantially as described.

2. In combination with a scraper, a draft device attached with the'frontthereof, a spring member. connected with the rear thereof, and a'connection between said spring member and the draft device, whereby thescraper will automatically adjust itself to hauling position whenloaded, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a scraper, a draft device attached with the frontthereof, a member connected withthe rear thereof, and a connectionbetween said member and the draft device, whereby the scraper willautojust itself to loading position when empty,

substantially asdescribed.

j 5. In combination with a scraper, a draft appliance connected to theforward end thereof, a yoke pivoted on said scraper near its forwardend, a spring member connected to the yoke and to the rear" end of thescraper, and a connection between said yoke and the draft ,appliance,whereby the scraper will automatically adjust itself to hauling positionwhen loaded, substantially as described. 4

6. In combination with a scraper, a draft the rear end of the scraperand adjustably connected to the yoke, and a connection between said yokeand. the draft appliance,

whereby the scraper will automatically adjust itself to loading positionwhen empty, and to hauling position when loaded, su stantially asdescribed.

8. In combination, a scraper, a draft device connected thereto and meanswhereby the front of the scraper is automatically raised by the weightof the load as it receives the same.

9. In combination, a scraper, a draft device connected thereto and meansmounted on the scraper whereby the weight of the load automaticallyadjusts it to hauling position.

10. In combination, a scraper, a draft device connected thereto andmeans cooperating with the draft and scraper and operated by the weightof the load whereby as the scraper is pulled forwardly and is loaded itautomatically assumes a hauling position.

11. In combination, a scraper, adraft device connected thereto and meansactuated by the removal of the weight of the load whereby the scraperassumes a loading position when empty and actuated by the Weight of theload whereby the scraper assumes a hauling position when loaded.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

' I. E. BURKETT.

Witnesses: v

R. P. BROOKS, I

LEROY Swmson.

